U2's Singer/ Preacher Bono Calls Apple a "Religious Cult"

For a singer who is as much defined by his self-serving rhetoric as the music that has laid the foundations of his career, it's a bit rich of U2's Bono to start comparing anyone else to a religious cult. But that's the criticism he's laid at the feet of Apple.

Speaking at Cannes Lions, and sat alongside Apple's design guru Jony Ive, Bono seemed disappointed by the Cupertino company's involvement with Bono's global nonprofit (Red). Though Apple has built (Red) branded products to support the HIV awareness charity, Bono suggested that the company's strict branding was holding the partnership back.

"One of the reasons it's such a credit to have Jony Ive on the stage is because Apple is so fucking annoyingly quiet about the fact they've raised $75 million. Nobody knows!"

Bono had specific concerns with Apple's reluctance to push (Red) branding on partner devices, with particular criticism at the internally-hidden logo on the (Red) iPad cover.

"Nobody can see that. This is modesty run amok. This is the Apple way. They're like a religious cult," he told Ive.

Despite Bono's annoying boisterousness, it does seem a bit half-hearted by Apple. If you're supporting a charity, push its branding too, increase public awareness -- even if it does undermine your own branding on a small number of devices. A stray parentheses at the expense of a carefully aligned Apple logo isn't such a big deal when the ultimate goal is to wipe out a killer virus. [AdWeek]